Two Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientists have been awarded separate grants to study osteoarthritis and heart function.

Tim Griffin received a two-year, $200,000 grant from the Arthritis Foundation to study how exercise affects molecular changes in the knee joint to reduce pain associated with osteoarthritis. The common disorder occurs when the cartilage that cushions bones at the joints breaks down and wears away, allowing bones to rub together.

Exercise can help manage osteoarthritis pain, but the science behind it is largely unexplored, Griffin said. He said he hopes his research will help in the development of better medications and therapies to reduce arthritis pain and disability.

Hui-Ying Lim received a four-year, $280,000 grant from the American Heart Association to look at how different kinds of heart cells communicate and how those interactions are essential for proper heart function.

Her research uses a Fruit Fly model system to study how signaling in cells could influence the heart muscle cells. Lim said identifying key players in the pathway could reveal important insights in cell-to-cell interactions, which could be vital in understanding heart disease and maintaining heart health.

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by Paula Burkes

Reporter

A 1981 journalism graduate of Oklahoma State University, Paula Burkes has more than 30 years experience writing and editing award-winning material for newspapers and healthcare, educational and telecommunications institutions in Tulsa, Oklahoma...